A new music project bringing young offenders together with local unsigned talent launches this week.
Guerilla Sound Movement launches this week supported by the city’s Youth Offending Service to help young musicians find a voice through performing, recording, linking with other young artists and sharing skills and ideas.
The grass roots project is peer-led to create a space where young people are able to support each other and explore all the various options for themselves as artists. The project involves young offenders with music production experience working on a voluntary basis.
The launch of the project, which will see more than 15 acts on two stages, will be at the Latest Music Bar, 14-17 Manchester Street, Brighton, on April 27th at 6pm. The project is funded by the Big Challenge, which sponsors projects delivered by young people themselves.
Brighton & Hove City Council Youth Justice Officer Jo Bates said: “Guerilla Sound Movement is a great project because it gives young people something really positive to do. It gives them a chance to get into a proper music studio to practice and rehearse with people from different backgrounds who might not normally mix and this is good for community cohesion.
“It’s also important to remember that having exciting projects like this also help keep young people out of trouble and doing something positive.”
Guerilla Sound Movement co-ordinator Oisin Hendrickse, said: “It’s difficult for young acts to break through in to the music industry so this projects aims to bring young people together from all walks of life to make music. We want to create an unsigned media channel so that local acts get exposure on the big stage.”
Sam is 16 and studying music production at college. He said: “I am producing the music for this project and doing sound engineering work with the artists. It’s about getting young people who have been in trouble like me getting them excited about something that is really positive.
“I know a lot of young people who will be really excited about this because getting involved in music would normally be really expensive.”
